Xabi Alonso faced a challenging return to Anfield with Bayer Leverkusen as Liverpool secured a dominant 4-0 win, courtesy of Luis Diaz’s second-half hat-trick and a goal from Cody Gakpo.
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The victory places Liverpool firmly at the top of their Champions League group with 12 points from four games and strengthens their title run in both European and domestic competitions under new manager Arne Slot.
The Reds have also enjoyed an impressive Premier League start, sitting two points clear of Manchester City after 10 games.
Alonso, Leverkusen’s head coach, acknowledged Liverpool’s strength post-match, saying, “They’re a very complete team.
They can defend, score, and keep clean sheets. With few chances, they can still find the net, which is especially crucial in Champions League play as they approach the next round.”
While Alonso was impressed with Liverpool’s current form, he remains cautiously optimistic.
“It’s still early in the season, and we’re only in November,” he noted, but described Liverpool’s season as “promising” with the right balance between attack and defense under Slot’s guidance.
Meanwhile, Slot urged his team to maintain their high-intensity performances to keep up their streak, referencing the challenging game against Brighton last weekend.
“Anfield is a special place,” Slot said, acknowledging that teams are inspired to give their best against Liverpool. “If we keep up this intensity, we can continue winning, which is exactly what we’re after.”